Timothy Christian shocks Gibault

There wasn’t a player on Gibault’s roster who ever lost an IHSA postseason game entering Friday’s Class 1A state semifinal against Timothy Christian at North Central College.

The Trojans had never finished higher than third in any team sport since the school opened in 1911.

With that in mind, many people already had the three-time defending state champion from Downstate Waterloo heading to the title game.

Timothy Christian’s 1-0 victory moved the Trojans (18-5-1) one step closer to claiming the school’s first team state title and handed the Hawks (12-10-2) their first postseason loss since 2004.

Corey Phillip’s eighth goal of the season with less than two minutes left in the first half turned out to be the game-winner for the Trojans — and the dagger that ended Gibault’s quest for a four-peat. Timothy Christian goalie Peter Tameling had four saves in the shutout.

‘‘I don’t think there was any pressure on us coming into this game,’’ said Timothy Christian coach Rudi Gesch, whose team dedicated the win to ill teacher Sherri VenHousen. ‘‘None of their players had lost a playoff game, and that says a lot about the program Gibault has built. But we have something special here, too.’’

It was the first time all season that Timothy Christian won a 1-0 game.

The Trojans will try to become the first Chicago-area team to win the Class 1A title since 2003 when it plays Winnebago at 7:30 tonight.